Westboro protesters outnumbered

Kansas-based hate group overwhelmed by 20-to-1 margin

Protesters from Westboro Baptist Church, in Topeka, Kan., picket near the corner of University Boulevard and Hackberry Lane on the campus of the University of Alabama as motorcyclists rev their engines in counter-protest on Saturday.

Michelle Lepianka Carter | The Tuscaloosa News

By Mark Hughes CobbStaff Writer

Published: Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 7:37 p.m.

Counter-protesters to the Westboro Baptist Church outnumbered the traveling hatemongers by a ratio of 20-to-1 or more Saturday.

Westboro brought 11 people — four of them children — to a spot outside Russell Hall, designated and gated off by the University of Alabama.

For a UA-designated half-hour, the Kansas-based group waved signs printed with slogans such as “God Hates Fags” and “Bloody Obama,” while across Hackberry, hundreds gathered to mock and drown them out.

A dozen riders on Harleys roared by, circling back again and again to deafen the chants of the WBC, set to boombox-played songs such as Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now,” but with altered lyrics and dire warnings of the doom for all those who don’t follow the WBC.

The hundreds gathered to counter-protest chanted “Love, not hate” and “T-Town Never Down,” a slogan adopted in the wake of the April 27, 2011, tornado, which the WBC came to town to proclaim was the wrath of God.

Signs drawn up by the counter-protesters ranged from shows of resistance, such as “The WBC can’t hurt us, we’re Tuscaloosa strong,” “Don’t Feed the Trolls,” “Freak Show” and “Get on your broomsticks and go back to Kansas,” to calls for love and forgiveness, such as “Hug it out,” “God is Love,” “Compassion, Not Hate,” and “At 1st I wanted WBC to feel my wrath, but since I am Baptist, I will forgive you,” to outright mockery: “Gargamel Hates Smurfs,” “Your Ad Here,” “Han Shot First,” and “Gay for Gosling.”

A group of four signs, when flipped to their opposing sides, read “Firefly was Ripped Off.”

Stephen Robbins, a U.S. Navy veteran, was among those counter-

protesting the WBC.

“The only way they can get their hate out there is by outrageous acts,” Robbins said. “What we can do is tell them we love them and forgive them, and maybe they’ll go away.”

Organizers of the counter-protests worked phone calls, club meetings and social media to get people out on a humid Saturday afternoon when much of UA’s operations shut down.

Steven Headley, who had hundreds of people signed up on his Facebook post about a counter-protest, said he felt frustrated and perplexed by UA’s reluctance to clarify what would and wouldn’t be allowed on campus.

“We could have been able to get an even bigger group if (UA) hadn’t seemed to be hesitating about allowing us to be here,” he said. “But we were going to find a way to be here anyway, just to send out a positive message.”

Perhaps because the groups were separated by about 50 yards, barricades and UA police, no direct confrontations occurred.

When the WBC contingent was led off by the police at 12:30 — their permit was from noon to 12:30 only — the counter-protesting side cheered long and hard as the Harleys roared by one more time.

<p>Counter-protesters to the Westboro Baptist Church outnumbered the traveling hatemongers by a ratio of 20-to-1 or more Saturday.</p><p>Westboro brought 11 people — four of them children — to a spot outside Russell Hall, designated and gated off by the University of Alabama.</p><p>For a UA-designated half-hour, the Kansas-based group waved signs printed with slogans such as “God Hates Fags” and “Bloody Obama,” while across Hackberry, hundreds gathered to mock and drown them out.</p><p>A dozen riders on Harleys roared by, circling back again and again to deafen the chants of the WBC, set to boombox-played songs such as Lady Antebellum's “Need You Now,” but with altered lyrics and dire warnings of the doom for all those who don't follow the WBC.</p><p>The hundreds gathered to counter-protest chanted “Love, not hate” and “T-Town Never Down,” a slogan adopted in the wake of the April 27, 2011, tornado, which the WBC came to town to proclaim was the wrath of God.</p><p>Signs drawn up by the counter-protesters ranged from shows of resistance, such as “The WBC can't hurt us, we're Tuscaloosa strong,” “Don't Feed the Trolls,” “Freak Show” and “Get on your broomsticks and go back to Kansas,” to calls for love and forgiveness, such as “Hug it out,” “God is Love,” “Compassion, Not Hate,” and “At 1st I wanted WBC to feel my wrath, but since I am Baptist, I will forgive you,” to outright mockery: “Gargamel Hates Smurfs,” “Your Ad Here,” “Han Shot First,” and “Gay for Gosling.” </p><p>A group of four signs, when flipped to their opposing sides, read “Firefly was Ripped Off.”</p><p>Stephen Robbins, a U.S. Navy veteran, was among those counter-</p><p>protesting the WBC.</p><p>“The only way they can get their hate out there is by outrageous acts,” Robbins said. “What we can do is tell them we love them and forgive them, and maybe they'll go away.”</p><p>Organizers of the counter-protests worked phone calls, club meetings and social media to get people out on a humid Saturday afternoon when much of UA's operations shut down. </p><p>They stressed messages of peace and forgiveness for the WBC.</p><p>“We oppose hate, period,” said Ashley Rubic. “To oppose hate, you cannot have hatred in your heart.”</p><p>Steven Headley, who had hundreds of people signed up on his Facebook post about a counter-protest, said he felt frustrated and perplexed by UA's reluctance to clarify what would and wouldn't be allowed on campus.</p><p>“We could have been able to get an even bigger group if (UA) hadn't seemed to be hesitating about allowing us to be here,” he said. “But we were going to find a way to be here anyway, just to send out a positive message.”</p><p>Perhaps because the groups were separated by about 50 yards, barricades and UA police, no direct confrontations occurred. </p><p>When the WBC contingent was led off by the police at 12:30 — their permit was from noon to 12:30 only — the counter-protesting side cheered long and hard as the Harleys roared by one more time.</p>